Walgreens adds prescription refill text alerts

Walgreens said Thursday that the free service, for users of smartphones and other mobile devices, delivers a text message that notifies patients when a prescription is due for refill. Orders can then be completed with a simple "refill" reply.

Pharmacy patients can sign up for refill reminder text alerts at any Walgreens drug store as well as online at walgreens.com/textalerts.

The launch of refill reminder text alerts recognizes two trends, Walgreens noted: Text messaging has become the most popular form of communication for U.S. mobile users, and many Americans need help in adhering to their medication regimens.

"We've driven strong adoption and customer engagement through our mobile applications, and these mobile pharmacy features are also great tools for helping people manage their health," Sona Chawla, president of e-commerce at Walgreens, said in a statement. "This is another way we're extending the access to Walgreens pharmacy to patients on the go and helping them stay well."

Walgreens reported that it has over 2 million subscribers for its Prescription Ready Text Alerts, which inform customers when a prescription order is ready for pickup.

The drug chain said its mobile applications now account for more than 25% of its online prescription refills. The apps feature Refill by Scan, which enables mobile users to order refills by scanning the bar code on a prescription bottle. They also have a prescription refills tab, which enables refills to be ordered by entering a prescription number, with in-store pickup at any Walgreens store.

"Medication nonadherence is one of the biggest hurdles in treating illness today, responsible for more than $100 billion each year in avoidable hospitalizations" Pegus stated. "Tools and personalized services that can help patients remain compliant with their prescription regimens can be effective in lowering health care costs and improving patient care."